An Alaskan Moose Hunting Trip with an Argo Gone Wrong - Day 2 

Dandy rig. I’ve had conversations about going that direction.

Thank you, they do require more maintenance than the average ATV. I guess all toys have pros and cons.

An Argo is a fantastic little machine that has its pros and cons: they will go amazing places, but they don’t get there fast.

That is a fantastic idea, there will be some in my tool kit next year.

Thank you for watching.😀

Great question, this trip was three years ago, so I went back and watched the video again so I can give you a good answer to your questions. With a broken track, we would have been really hard-pressed to get a moose out of there. We would have done one of two things: take the tracks off in certain areas and put them back on in other areas (which would’ve been a real pain in the fanny) or made this into two trips, and left the tracks off at the truck and went in without tracks (this would have been difficult as well because the Argo goes crazy places with tracks that it won’t go without them). When we were hung up in the first half mile it was a two fold problem: first, it’s pretty steep and second it’s very rocky, and the grousers on my tracks are made of plastic so they do not hook up on rocks very well. So your answer your question, I don’t think four people pushing. It would’ve been enough for us to get it up the hill. Thank you for watching.

Generally, to find bigger bulls you have to go where bulls have a chance to grow older. A 50” bull is generally a 4 or 5 year old. To find a quantity of 50” bulls or if you hope to happen into a monster you need to find a place that is not frequented.

Thank you. You know, that does sound like me. 😁

That is upsetting. We not only clean up our trash, but generally take some extra out with us. I like the feeling that no one else has been there before, so I leave it that way for the next person to enjoy and wonder the same.

@@RaisedinAlaska upsetting is an understatement... but good on yah folks for packing out what you pack in....cheers

I’m going to ponder that idea. After this experience, I got about 10 feet of quarter inch nylon winch cable and added it to my kit of parts pieces and tools that I always take along. I hadn’t thought about your idea, but that seems like a very doable fix.

@@RaisedinAlaska its fairly simple to do, thats how we used to fix nodwell tracks in the bush

@@tyrellboyd8997 It is a great idea.

Great question: A plane will take you to amazing places, however then you’re on foot, and packing to moose very far isn’t something I can get excited about. Some people run the rivers in jet boats but then you’re basically hunting where you can see from the river and that can be very little at times. In the end, I guess it really depends on where you want to hunt and how to the access that kind of terrain. Each mode of transportation has its pros and cons. For me I like an Argo, but I have to pick and choose so I can maximize its pros and reduce it’s cons.

@@RaisedinAlaska Thanks..... I figured there was no real clear cut answer.

@@biggameaksomeday3007 I wish it were easier. 😁

Yeh, sorry I wish there was a clear answer because I get one of whatever the answer is.😉

An Argo is a pretty good machine. When you put tracks on one they are amazing. I just finished a trip without tracks (waiting to repair mine) and I now realize what a difference tracks make. I’ll drop that video soon.

Thank you very much. I was super happy to make it back to the trailhead. I was initially betting against us. I have not showcased this specific tent in any videos (i’m not sure they even make it anymore). I have not seen Chuck Porter, but I’ll look him up.

An Argo is a game changer. I currently live in Anchorage. I have two buddies with Argo’s, but this year they were both tied up so I soloed and hunted with my son: no complains.

@@RaisedinAlaska cool pretty close! And for sure they are. Also that’s awesome taking boy with time well spent 😁

I have a buddy who had AK bush tracks on his machine. They have done well for him.

I have looked at them, and I may have to add one into the back of my Argo just in case.

I don't know if it would be usable for your application but it is light weight and the idea alone is cool. Is the Deadman Which Anchor

@@ezekielcade4205 I’ve been in places where without one I’d be in trouble.

Good luck out there. Bull should be interested in calls now. I was out yesterday and got on a big bull (i’ll drop the video on Wednesday), he had two cows with him and he was calling them and they were talking back to him. It was pretty cool.

Thank you. It was a bummer to have to pull out early, but I don’t think we would’ve made it back with our fix if I we had 800 pounds of moose in the back of the Argo.

I built the trailer that I pulled behind my Argo. If you are interested, I did a build video: it’s really a series of pictures and then some performance video there after. It can be found at ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-53OX8aQ-L2g.html.

I’ve had a few folks mention that I should make them. Thank you for watching.

It was a great adventure, sometimes the problems just add to the memories. If every day was sunny and there were never any challenges life would be so easy that it may be forgotten.

My dad had a bulldozer. Tracks were physically hard and financially expensive to work on.

😊

Great question: There were mud holes that the Argo would not have made it through without tracks. I show a comparison of no tracks vrs tracks at the end of the video where I fix the tracks. I’ve been on this same trail, in years past, with a buddy who had an Argo without tracks and there were several places that I had to pull him through.

I ran tracks on my older moose hunting Conquest 8x8 for a few years & they were a pain in the arse. This year I swapped up the Goodyear Runamuck "floatation" tires for a set of Mudlite ATV tires & dumped the tracks. To my surprise it goes just about anywhere the tracks would take me that I had a will to risk (unless you have a 2nd Argo in the trip, you don't want to risk pushing your luck too far). Interestingly it also swims better with the mud lites than it ever did with the standard Runamucks. In my experience, the stuff you go through has to be a real more water than mud soup-mud with no root fibre in it to justify tracks. Any sort of roots or bush in the muck makes a MASSIVE difference. To get more grip you can chuck down a few bushes & branches to help...

@@davidbrewer7937 Yeah, that’s more or less what I was thinking. It’s got a lot to do with which tire, but it with a really aggressive tread it should run over almost anything. I mean you got so many wheels, it’s almost like tracks, and no hassle.

@@jimf1964 Maximum surface area in contact with the ground is key. Aggressive tread is good as long as you don't spin too much because this is like putting the root fibre in a blender. High centering is a major issue as well. I find it better to avoid the traveled track to avoid deep ruts.

Tracks ok in snow rest is worthless have had argos since 1980s.

20x80. 😁

Hi Keven. Is was a wet fall.

This recovery began 20 miles from the trailhead: I call it the wayback.

I will have a better plan next time.😁

A length of steel fence wire, some steel chain & some nuts & bolts would have made a more robust bush fix...

@@davidbrewer7937 True.

In that vicinity.

I could not have made it back without tracks, the mud was rather significant.

They are not my favorite, but lately I’ve been trying to keep it simple.

They have gotten very expensive, but I don’t know that underpowered is a correct term. They are low geared, and will go anywhere, but they don’t get there very fast.

@@RaisedinAlaskain your video, it wouldn't make it up a hill. I had one. They are under powered.

​@@RaisedinAlaskaI have 300 acres in Ontario Canada. They work good on flat land, but my cousin and I both have an 8 wheeled argo, and they are under powered. Have a good one.

@@mattdelany6799 Good catch: it would not make it up the hill because the grousers on the tracks are UHMW plastic and were slipping on the large flat rock trail going up the hill. Clearly, I should have given more details about that issue. Thank you.

@@mattdelany6799 Good luck in the field. 👍🏽

Great idea. I did have a spare chain for the drivetrain. That was an option, but I would have had to ruin it to use it for this application. That said, it was on my list if I could not limp it out with rope.

It would not have made it through some of the mud hole. In years past I towed a buddy who had a trackless Argo through several of the mud holes on this trail. After two years of that he bought tracks.

I agree just those ones are pretty bum ones. Escargo. Is what u want wont look back